Children all over the world suffer from starvation in some of the most inhospitable environments. These environments force these children to master the art of survival; to never live in full comfort and to maximize the meaning of life.

Sadly some die. But there are those who are able to punch through those environments and go on to become successful people. Battle hardened; fighting life is natural to them.

Go ahead; do search for “rags to riches” in your favorite search engine. Read the thousands of stories of how starvation can bring a person to rise.

There is really no excuse now, is there?
]]>https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/doing-business-as-a-designer-starvation/feed/0jaexavierDoing Business as a Designer: Setting Expectationshttps://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/doing-business-as-a-designer-setting-expectations/
https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/doing-business-as-a-designer-setting-expectations/#commentsTue, 20 Jul 2010 13:21:21 +0000http://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/doing-business-as-a-designer-setting-expectations/

Cameron (my client) did two shows (he’s a DJ): one on Friday and Saturday. On both days he was relying on two freelancers, a photographer and another DJ for the bar room. The photographer’s job is to capture the moment of club goers while the second DJ plays other types of music other than Top 40’s hip-hop because Cameron is playing that genre in the main room.

On both days, both were late and both did not do a good job. The DJ played the same music as Cameron and the photographer kept taking pictures in the same spot versus taking pictures all around the club.

On Sunday, Cameron came to visit me.

“I had to micro manage them to the very inch and still, they cannot get their jobs done!” furiously explaining.

I calmly said “Well it seems that you did not set expectations prior to soliciting their help. Did you explain to them the horrible consequences of past events? Did you set the terms on a contract? Did you set the results for breaking those terms?”

Looking at the ground, Cameron said “I should have.”

In the design world, there are parallels to Cameron’s experience.

While in the sales process, set the expectations of your client so that they provide all the requirements needed to get your job done with fewer hassles. That way you’ll get more repeat business from them because they love the experience of working with you. This is a hidden value that will make your design business much more successful.

Being normal implies that “fitting in” is just but it comes with the terrible price of regret.

When you have an honest disagreement with someone but you don’t voice itWhen you wanted to be a (fill in the blank) but your parents wanted you to be a (fill in the blank)When you constantly seek approval from othersWhen you’re worried what your friends and family would say if I did (fill in the blank)
]]>https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/doing-business-as-a-designer-you%e2%80%99re-not-normal/feed/0jaexavierDoing Business as a Designer: Fallout – Part 2https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-2/
https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-2/#respondWed, 14 Jul 2010 11:02:59 +0000http://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-2/

Deep in Ryan’s heart, he had no knowledge about web design, internet advertising, and internet marketing. “The core of my skills was in print design. Programming, online ads, user interface, and user experience were all alien to me. On top of that, I did not know how to do write up an executive summary.”

After getting home Ryan calls his best friend Jason who has web domain expertise.

“I was frantically explaining the situation to Jason. While explaining to him, I had visions of losing everything I had worked for. The feeling of powerlessness became all too real in a matter of seconds.”

Jason tells Ryan that “making a sudden turn around into learning about the web is like turning the Titanic on a dime. Absorbing the knowledge takes time and repetition.”

Ryan defiantly hangs up.

Over the course of three weeks, Ryan consumes every form of knowledge pertaining to the web; spending voraciously and without question. Piles of books and DVD’s were peppered all over his condo. “Even my hard drives were filled to the brim with content.” Ryan recalls.

At the end of the forth week Ryan presents the executive summary to the VP of operations in the morning. The VP is impressed and tells Ryan that he will be presenting this plan to the board at lunch.

Three hours after lunch, Ryan slumps over his desk contemplating every outcome imaginable.

“What if they don’t like my plan?”“What if they do? What do I need to learn next?“What if I lose my job? Where will I go next?”

“My mind was racing at 1000 mph. I could not even concentrate on eating my lunch.”

Suddenly, the phone rings. Ryan picks up the phone and is told to meet the VP in his office. Upon entering he takes a deep breath before opening the door.

“While twisting that door knob, I made a decision to accept whatever comes my way at face value. I’ve done the best I can. It is time to man up.”

Ryan enters and sits down with an arm resting on each chair arm, feet planted shoulder width apart.

“The VP tells me that the board rejected my executive summary. During the meeting, two consultants had carefully reviewed the summary. It was deemed not viable.”

Reclining in his executive chair with a somber face, the VP explains “Ryan, I know your background. I know that you have been working for this company for a very long time and your investment is highly appreciated. In the history of Two Suns, we have never had layoffs as high as this. You were on the list to be immediately cut however I wanted to give you a fighting chance to stay on board. Unfortunately things did not turn out they way we both wanted to. I had to make a decision, so you will be cut. However you will not leave empty handed; you have severance pay.”

“It was a solemn moment for both of us. I appreciated his efforts in giving me that fighting chance. But ultimately it was not about preventing my layoff; it was preventing comfort from overcoming me.”
]]>https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-2/feed/0jaexavierDoing Business as a Designer: Fallout – Part 1https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-1/
https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-1/#commentsTue, 13 Jul 2010 18:37:15 +0000http://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-1/

This is part one in a two part series.

Meet Ryan, a 31 year old graphic designer from San Diego, California.

Ryan interned and then turned permanent with Two Suns Media (now defunct), a private global advertising firm in Hong Kong, just after he graduated from college at the age of 21. He enjoyed his job very much working his way up to assistant art director by the age of 26. And by 30, Two Suns offered him a senior art director position at their Hong Kong office.

“I remembered the day I was visited by senior management at my apartment on a Saturday after my morning jog. They did not seem happy and so thought I was being laid off. The regional VP had asked me a bunch of questions while we stood in the parking lot. It turns out that the senior art director of 10 years had resigned and so management was looking for an immediately replacement.”

Ryan eagerly accepted and left San Diego two weeks later.

A year had passed since moving. Now living atop a condo overlooking Victoria Harbour, Ryan had thoughts of settling down. With a firm grasp on his career and personal life Ryan became comfortable.

“Every morning, I woke up to a view that never grew old. Every morning, I woke up without a care in the world.”

In 2008 amid the global financial crisis, Two Suns decides to scarp their print operations in the next 6 months. Their new strategy is to shift into the internet landscape with their existing clientele.

“I was called into a boardroom meeting on a Friday afternoon just coming back from lunch. The VP of operations asks me to make a transition to directing web operations. In a silent panic, I told him that I’m able to. I didn’t want to lose my job.”

Having accepted the responsibility, the VP sets a deadline for an executive summary due in one month.

]]>https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/doing-business-as-a-designer-fallout-part-1/feed/1jaexavierDoing Business as a Designer: You’re In It for the Long Haulhttps://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/doing-business-as-a-designer-you%e2%80%99re-in-it-for-the-long-haul/
https://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/doing-business-as-a-designer-you%e2%80%99re-in-it-for-the-long-haul/#commentsMon, 12 Jul 2010 16:40:58 +0000http://jaexavier.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/doing-business-as-a-designer-you%e2%80%99re-in-it-for-the-long-haul/

Most countries have adopted a work week as 5 days, or 37 to 40 hours. For the employed this makes for a great way of living; a division of labor and leisure.

However for freelancers and business owners, 40 hours a week is not enough. This is especially true for those who are transitioning from an employed life to full time independence.

The “Art of Transitioning” is investing vast amounts of time and energy. The more you put in the faster you get to independence. This is a mixture of labor and leisure that is deeply intertwined and ingrained.

It is important that you do what you love; otherwise you’ll get lost transitioning.

As freelancers or business owners, obviously we play multiple roles such sales, marketing, administration, customer service, accountant, programmer, developer, and designer.

But one day, you’re going to make a strong push to get more business or to handle a higher-than-average consistent workload. So what type of people would you hire?

Someone who you could command and control?

Or…

Someone who wants to make a difference?

Interestingly enough, I have had my fair share of command-and-control employee stories. I’ve made hiring mistakes that were purely my fault.

But why did I hire them in the first place?

It’s because I wanted complete control over my company’s direction and growth. In essence it was complete micromanaging and it was eating up my time and energy. I finally realized that this is the wrong way to run a business.

To make the lesson burn into my head even more, I remembered that I had conducted my business like a former employer. With this realization everything had come to a full circle.

Today, I hire people who can think for themselves. These are individuals who own the position and the related responsibilities. My employees are so passionate about what they do and defend their decisions should I challenge them. Although I don’t grant 100% autonomy, they’re close to it. They know the consequences and they may fail but that’s ok; it’s the nature of business.